Air separator



May 2,9, i923 www@ R. M. GAY

AIR SEPARATOR Filed April 6. 1921 3 sheets-sheet 1 EASKMU May 29, i923.

R, M. GAY

AIR SEPARATOR Filed April 6.1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 29, 1923. 1,457,111()A R. M. GAY

AIR SEPARATOR Filed ADI-il 6. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 29, 1923. x

uNi'rEu sraras iiit i AIR SEPARATOR.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom t (2o/neem:

Be it known that LRUBERT Mf GAY, a citizen of the United States, residinvr at Hanover, in the county of Morris and btate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in air separatorswherein the' material lto be separated is fed into a separating chamber having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, 'and wherein air is caused to pass through the separating chamber and the material fed thereto, the air entering the chamber through. the inlet opening and leaving the chamber through the outlet opening and separating and carrying with it the fine material or lines from the heavier or coarser material or tailings which settle tothe bottom of the chamber and pass therefrom through a suitable discharge passage.

v Great difficulty has been experienced in separating a high percentage of the desired fine particles of material from the coarser particles thereof, because it is the velocity of the air current passing through the separating chamber which governs the degree of flneness of the fine particles lseparated from' the coarser particles and thevelocity of the air current varies in different parts of the separating chamber and varies in accordance with variations in the speed of the devices producing the current, thereby preventing the separation of many` of the desired fine particles from the coarser particles andpermitting many of the desired line particles to drop back into the coarser particles after being separated therefrom; and the speed of the machine has been greatly limited for the same reasons, because it is the limitation of the velocity at which the air current may 4 bef caused to pass through the separating chamber for the separation of material of a given degree of iineness which limits .the speed of the machine and the output of the product therefrom.

The object of my present .invention is three fold: first, to overcome the aforesaiddiiculty and to separate a greater percentage than heretofore of the desired fine particles of material from the larger particles thereof passing through the machine; second, to increase the speed of the machine and obtain a' ater output of the product thereof wit ina 'ven time than heretofore;

and, third, to o tain a higher percentage 1921. Serial No. 459,055.

than heretofore of the very fine particles in the product of the machine, or to reduce thev degree of variation in size of the fine particles of the separated material forming the product of the machine.

With the above and related objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of' parts hereinafter described and claimed.

. In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention,

Figure 1 isa vertical section through a separator embodying my invention.

Figure 2 isa ton view of the air circulatin fan.

`igures 3 and 4 are horizontal sections on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 1.' F1gure 5 is a view partly in section and l partly, in elevation of another form of embodiment of the invention.

Referring` to Figs. 1, 2, 3 andj4 of the drawings, 5 designates an outer casing comprising a cylindrical upper portion and a tapered or conical lower portion. Suitably `supported within the outer casing 5, in

spaced relation thereto, is an inner casing 6 whlch comprlses an upper c'yhndrical portion and a lower tapered or conical'portion;

and spaced from the bottom of the casing 6 is a conical receptacle 7 which forms, in effect, a continuation of the inner casing 6. The annular space between the bottom of the casing 6 and the top of the receptacle 7 constitutes an air inlet.' opening 8 for the casing' 6, `and the top wall 9 of the casing 6 has a large central opening 10 therein which constitutes an air outlet opening for the casin 6.v The lower end of the receptacle 7 terminates in a downwardly and outwardly inclined pipe 11 which extends 'through the wall ofthe casing 5 for the discharge of the tailings from the machine; and the lower end of the outer casing` 5 terminates in a downwardly extending passage or pipe 12 for the discharge of the fines from the machine. I' i The inner casing 6 encloses the separating orclaifying chamber 13, and the space'lsurrounding' the inner casing 6 between ,it and the outer casing 5, and the space between thetop walls 14- and 9 of the outer and inner casings 5 and 6, respectively,.form an air passage 15 exteriorly ofithe casing 6 connecting the inlet openin '8 and outlet opening 10 of the separating c amber 13.

The material to be separated is fed to the chamber 13 through a feed pipe 16 which extends cent-rally through the top wall 14 of t-he casing 5. The pipe 16 extends through a hollow, centrally-arranged, vertical shaft 17 which is mounted to turn in a suitable bearing 18 on the top wall 14, and a pipe 16 is supported by a bracket 19 on the top wall 14. rThe shaft 17 is provided with a bevel gear wheel 2O in mesh with a. similar wheel 21 on a horizontal shaft 22 which turns in bearings 23 on the top wall 14. rlhe shaft 22 carries a pulley 24 on the outer end thereof by means of which it may be rotated. The bottom of the shaft 17 carries two round, horizontally-arranged dis'cs or plates 25 and 26 which are spaced from each other, the upper plate 26 being secured to the flange of a collar 27 carried by the shaft 17 and the lower plate 25 being carried by spaced bolts extending between the ltwo plates. rll`he upper plate 26 has a central opening therein through whiclrthe lower end of the hollow shaft 17 extends to discharge material upon the central portion of the lower or distributing plate 25 which,

during the rotation of the shaft 17, discharges the material from the edge thereof by centrifugal force and distributes 1t around the separating chamber 13 so that the material will be projected from the edge of the plate and fall in an annular stream or shower.

The air passage between the top walls 9 and 14 forms a fan chamber within which is arranged a fan 28, comprising a collar 29 secured to the hollow shaft 17, arms 30 extending outwardly from the collar 29 and` blades 30a carried by the outer ends of the arms 30. The fan blades 30a are disposed to cause air within the casing 5 to circulate outwardly from the fan 28, down through the outer casing 5 or passage 15, exteriorly of the inner casing 6, in through the lnlet opening 8 to the separating chamber 13, up through the chamber' 13 and up through its outlet opening 10 to the fan 28, during the rotation of the shaft 17.

Arranged within the separatingr chamber 13, above the distributingr plate 25 therein, is a fan 31 comprising a collar 32 secure-d to the shaft 17, arms 33 extending from the collar 32 and blades 34 carried by the arms 33 and adapted to rotate the circulating current of air as it passes through the separating chamber 13 during the rotation of the shaft 17, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

' Within the inner casing 6 below the fan 31 therein is an annular partition 35 having .an upper cylindrical portion and alower tapered or conical portion followingr the lines of the upper cylindrical and lower tapered portions of the casing 6. The partition 35 is supported within the casing 6 in inner annular set and an outer annular set of vertically-extending bafiie members 37 and respectively, which are half-round in cross section with their concave surfaces facing the outer casing 5. The baile members of each set thereof are arranged in staggered relation to the other set, so that each member 37 will occupy a position back of the space between two adjacent members 33. rllhe bafle members 37 and -38 are supported at their upper ends by brackets 39 which are secured to the casing 6, andthe lower ends of the members 37 and 38 are open and held in place properly spaced from each other by annular bands 40 and 41 to which they are secured, respectively.

`Within the baille device 36, in close proximity thereto, is a damper device comprising a tixed an1uilai'-wall 42 and a movable annular wall 43 surrounding the same. The fixed wall 42 is supported at its upper end by the brackets 39 and at its lower end by a ledge 44 projecting from the receptacle 7', and the movable wall 43 rests upon the ledge 44 and is adapted to be adjusted back and forth circularly about the Wall 42 by a suiti able handle 45 which extends outwardly series et' similar openings 47 corresponding in number with the openings 46 and adapted to be brought into registry or partial registry therewith when the wall '43 is turned. 1t will thus be understood that the volume and velocity of the airwpassing through the baffle device 36 and through the inlet opening S leading to the separating chamber 13 may be regulated by adjusting the wall 43 relatively to the wall 42 to vary the ell'ective area of the openings 46. T he operation of the machine shown i Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 is as follows:

Power is applied to the pulley 24 to rotate the shafts 17 and 22 and therewith the fans 28 and 31 and the distributing plate 25. The actuation ofthe fan 28 causes the air within the outer casing 5 to circulate down through the casing 5 exteriorly of the inner casing 6 and up through the inner casing 6, and the actuation of the fan 31 lil() causes the circulatinsT air current to be .rotated as it passes through the separating .chamber 13 above the distributing plate 25 through which it travels. Its velocity is in creased as it passes the distributing plate 25, which reduces the area of that portion of the'air passage which extends between the edge of the vplate 25 and the surrounding partition 35, and its velocity is decreased in the increased area of the separating chamber above the distributing plate 25 and beneath the top wall 9 of thechamber` 13. Its velocity is againA increased as 1t passes A through the contracted outlet opening 10 of the separatingV chamber, and, thereafter, its velocity decreases and it expands as it passes down through the increased area of the passage 15, surrounding the inner casing 6, from the-fan 28 to the baille device 36. The velocity of the ascending air current passing through the annular assage between the partition 35 and the caslng 6 is less than it is in the contracted portion of the central passage between the 'partition 35 and the distributing plate 25. j

The material to be separated is fed'into the feed pipe 16 Aand it consists of pieces or particles of material of varying sizes, which, for the purposes of description and illustration, I shall divide into `three classes, i. e.: rst, the large or heavy particles, illustrated by heavy black dots in Fig. 1; second, the intermediate class, consisting of intermediate sized pieces orparticles, illustrated by very small circles in'Fig. 1, and, with the larger pieces or particles, shown by the heavy black dots, constituting the tailings and, third, the very fine particles, illustrated by the line black dots in Fig. 1, desired to be separated from the heavy and intermediate particles, and constituting the fines or product of the machine. The path of the circulating air current is shown by arrows in Fig. 1.; and' the paths of the heavy, intermediate and line particles of thematerial being separated' are indicated in Fig. 1 by the presence of the heavy black dots, the small circles and the fine dots, re` spectively.

As the material to be separated or graded is fed into the pipe 16, the heavy, intermediate and fine particles thereof descend ltogether through the pipe 16 and shaft 17 to the distributing plate 25 and move outwardly by centrifugal force over the plate 25 and are discharged from the edge thereof into the' separating chamber 13 and into the ascending current of air passing through the same. The heavy and some of the intermediate particles of material descend from the plate 25 within the surrounding partition wall 35 and fall into the receptacle 7, and the fine and some of the intermediate particles of material are carried by the air current up into the.upper portion of the separating chamber 13 where the air current is rotated by the fan 31 and where the intermediate particles are rejected by they centrifugal force of the rotating air throwing them to the outer portion of the separating 'chamber near the vertical wall of the casing 6 where the ascending velocity of the air current is somewhat less than it is nearer to the central shaft 17, and where the intermediate particles descend by gravity, while the fine particles are carried on upwardly and out through the opening 10 by the upwardly moving air current. The intermediate particles thus rejected by the rotating air cur rent, descend through the annular space or passage between the partition wall 35 and casing 6 and are discharged from the bottom thereof into the receptacle 7. The partition 35 serves to prevent any of the line particles discharged from the distributing plate 25 from reaching the path of the descending intermediate particles rejected by the rotating air current above the partition 35. Some of the intermediate particles will be lifted by the air current above the plate 25 and will drop back and descend with the heavy particles Within the surrounding partition wall 35, `without reaching the full centrifugal force of the rotating air or being affected to any great extent thereby. The ine particles are carried by the circulating air current out through the opening 10 and outwardly over the top wall 9 of the separating chamber and into that portion of the air passage which surrounds the inner casing 6 and which forms an expansion chamber in which the air current expands and slows down and permits the finel particles to descend by gravity to and through the lower or conical portion of the outer casing 5. Some of the line particles will be ,carried by the air current toward the opening 8 leadingl into the separating chamber and upon meeting the baille device 36 will be encountered by `the vertically-extending, concave surfaces of the baiiie members 37 and 38 and most or all of the ne particles will be thereby prevented from re-entering the separating chamber 13 and be permitted to descend through the bafiile members to the lower portion of the outer casing 5. The

fine particles or fines pass from the ma-` chine by gravity throughthe outlet passage 12, and the heavy and intermediate particles or tailings pass from the machine by gravity through the outlet passage 11.

The size of the fan blades 34 and the position thereof relatively to the wall of the chamber 13 may be varied to suit the partic- 7 ular requirements of the character of the particles of material to be graded or classified and to provide a classifying Zone of substantial area within the chamber 13 and outside of the path of the fan blades and between the outlet opening 10v and the distributing plate 25 or discharge end of thc feeding means which will permit the classification of the particles of material as they are carried upwardly by the ascending and rotating air current. The best results are obtained by having this classifying Zone above, r inwardly of, or inwardly of and above the path of the fan blades.

In the modification of the machine shown in Fig. 5, the expansion chamber which permits the fines7 to settle and leave the circulating current of air is enclosed by a casing 50, and the separating or classifying chamber l is enclosed by a casing 52 which is located exteriorly of the casing 50. The

top of the separating chamber 5l is connected by a pipe 53 to the inlet of a fan or blower 54 whose outlet is connected by a pipe 55 to one side of the upper portion of the casing to discharge air into the same at a tangent. The central portion of the top of the casing 50 is connected to one end of a pipe 56 which leads t0 and enters the lower portion of the separating chamber 5l and has an upwardly directed discharge end located centrally within the chamber;

From the construction shown in Fig. 5 thus far described it will be understood that, when the fan 0r blower 54 is actuated,

' it will cause a continuous circulation of air through itself and the casings 50 and 52 and pipes 53, and 56 in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The material to be separated is fed into the chamber 51 through a horizontal pipe or cylinder 57 which extends through the wall of the casing 52 and has a feed hopper f or funnel 58 on the outer end thereof and a veyer 6l. The outer end downwardly directed discharge passage 59 on the inner end thereof. The pi e or cylinder 57 is provided with a centra shaft 60 journaled therein and carrying a screw conof the shaft 60 is provided with a pulley.; 62 by means' of which it may be turned from a suitable' source of power to a-ctuate the conveyer to feed the material to be separated from the hopper 58 to the discharge passage 59. The discharge passage 59 is arranged cen* trally over the discharge end of the air pipe 56, and, interposed between thepipe 56 and passage 59 and suitably supported within the casing 52 is a conical detlector 63 which spreads the material discharged from the passage 59 so that it'will -fall in an annular shower or curtain around the upturned end of the Pipe 56.

, Extending centrally into the upper portion of the separating chamber 51 is a vertical shaft 64 which turns in a bearing on the pipe 53. The upper end of the shaft 64 is provided with a pulley 65 by means of which it may be driven. The lower end of the shaft 64 carries a collar 66 having radial arms 67 provided with fan blades 68 for rotating the air current passing through the chamber 51 when the shaft 64 is rotated.

rllhe operation of the modification shown in Fig. 5 is as follows:

Power is applied to the shafts 60 and 64 and to the fan or blower 54. The fan 54 circulates the air in the direction of the arrows and the fan blades 68 rotate the circulating air as it passes through the separating chamber 5l. The material to be separated is fed into the hopper or funnel 58 and moved through the pipe 57 by the conveyer 6l and discharged through the passage 59, and is spread by the cone 63 to fall in an annular shower around the upturned end of the pipe 56. The circulating air issuing from the pipe 56 passes through the curtain of material falling from the cone 63 and carries with Ait the ne particles of material and some of the intermediate particles thereof, while the remaining intermediate and heavy particles fall to the bottom of the casing 52. The intermediate particles of material, carried' up into the zone of inluenceof the fan blades 68, move outwardly by the centrifugal force of the rotating air beyond the path of the fan blades 68 and descend by gravity to the bottom of the casing 52, while the line particles are carried onwardly by the air current out through the pipes 53 and 55 to the expansion chamber within the casing 50 where they fall by gravity to the bottom of the chamber inclosed thereby, while the circulating air passes from the casing 50 'through the pipe 56.

The lower portions of the casings 50 and 52 are made tapering or conical and the lower ends thereof terminate in discharge passages through which the lines fand tailings,respectively, pass from the machine.

l claimk as my invention:

1. ln an air separator and in combination, a frame structure having a separating chamber to receive material to be separate said chamber having an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof and an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof, a movable device adapted to be actuated to induce a current of air in an upward direction through said chamber, and a movable device adapted to be actuated to rotate said current of air within said chamber, the last named movable device being spaced a substantial distance vfrom said outlet opening to produce a substantial classifying zone between them. l

2.1n an air separator and in combination, a framestructure having a separating Cil ` eing chamber formed by and within a surrounding wall and having an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof and an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof, means to cause a current of air to circulate through an endless path and to pass upwardly through the chamber, entering the same through its inlet opening and leaving the same through its outlet opening, a means to supply particles of solid material to be graded to said chamber, a fan blade below the outlet opening to rotate the current of air as it passes through tlre chamber, and means to support and rotate the fan blade to rotate the current of air passing through the chamber, said chamber providing a classifying zone of substantial area above,

the path of the fan blade to permit particles of material entering the same to.classify therein under the centrifugal influence of the rotating air current.

3. In an air separator and in combination, a frame structure having a separating chamber formed by and within a surrounding wall and having an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof and an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof, means to cause a current of air to circulate through an endless path and -to kpass upwardly through the chamber, entering the same through its inlet opening and leaving the same through its outlet opening, a means to supply particles of solid material to be graded to said chamber, a fan lblade below the outlet opening to rotate the current of air as it passes through the chamber, and means to support and rotate the fan blade to rotate the current of air passing through the chamber, said chamber providing a classifying zone of substantial area inwardly of the path of the fan blade and beneath the outlet opening to permit particles of material enterin the'same to classify therein under the centrifugal infiuence of the rotating air current.

4. In an air separator and in combination, a frame structure having achamber formed by and within a surrounding wall and having an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof and an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof, feeding means having a discharge portion within the chamber between said openingsfor supplying particles of solid material to be graded, means to cause a current ofl air to circulate through an endless path and to pass upwardly through said chamber, enterin the sam/e through its inlet -opening and eaving the same through its outlet opening, a -fan blade within said chamber to rotate the current of air as it passes therethrough, means to suport and rotate the fan blade, said `chamber free from transverselylextending baffles to permit the free rotation ofthe air ,between said openings, and 'said chamber providing a' classifying zone outside of the Ved by the -inner casinl path of the fan blade and between the discharge portionof the feeding means and the outlet opening of the chamber to permit the particles of material carried into said zone by the air current to classify therein under the centrifugal iniuence of the rotating air current.

. 5. In an air separator and in combination a frame structure having a separating chamber to receive the material to be separated and provided with an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, a partition wall with in the chamber in spaced relation to the wall thereof and separating a part of the chamber into two passages through which material being separated may fall, means to cause an air current to pass through said chamber, said air entering said chamber through its inlet opening and leaving the chamber through its outlet opening, means to rotate the air as it passes through said chamber, and means to introduce material to be separated to'one of the passages in the chamber.

6. In'an air separator and in combination a frame structure having a separating chamber to receive the material to be separated and provided with an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening,` an annular partition wall within the chamber in spaced relation to and surrounded by the wall thereof and 'separating the chamber into a central passage enclosed by the partition wall and an annular passage surrounding the partition wall through which material being separated may fall, means to cause an air current to pass through said chamber, said air entering` said chamber through its inlet opening and leaving the chamber through its outlet opening, means to rotate the `air asit passes through said chamber, and means to introduce material to be Separated to said central passage.

7. In an air separator and in combination,

an outer casing, a vertically extending inner casing enclosing a separating chamber to receive material to be separated and being supported within the outer casing in spaced relation thereto and having an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof and an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof, v

means to cause air to circulate up through said chamber and casing exteriorly of said chamber, means to rotate the air as it passes through said chamber, an annular. partition wall within the chamber in spaced relation to and surroundand separating the down through the outer` chamber into a centra passage enclosed byC the partition wall and an annular assage surrounding the artition wall t rou h which the material eing separated may fa l, and means-to introduce material to be separated to said central passage.

' 8. In an air separator and in combination,

an outer casing, a; vertically extending inner casing enclosing a separating chamber to receive material to be separated and being supported Within the outer casing in spaced relation thereto and having an air inlet opening in the lower portion thereof and an air outlet opening in the upper portion thereof, means to cause air to circulate up through said chamber and down through the outer casing exteriorly of said chamber, an annular set of vertically arranged baille inembers interrupting the air current entering said inlet opening, said members having vertically extending openings between them through which the air passes, a fixed annular Wall Within said set of' members, said'wall having vertically extending openings therein 'through which the air passes, and a movable annular damper Wall surrounding the fixed wall, said movable Wall having vertically extending openings therein similar to the openings in the lined Wall adapted to be brought into registry and partial registry therewith when the movable Wall is adjusted to control the velocity of air passing through the openings between said members.

1n testimony vvhereotl I ailiX my signature hereto.

HUBERT M. GAY. 

